The Yankees envisioned pairing Aaron Judge with Juan Soto to give them a star-studded lineup and outfield.
Their dream became a reality and the two officially became stars.
Soto will join Judge, who has already secured his sixth All-Star appearance, as the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game to be held at Globe Life Field in Texas on July 16.
Those two are the Yankees’ only starting pitchers, with the relievers and relievers expected to be announced Sunday.
Judge had already qualified for the Midsummer Classic as the American League’s top vote-getter in the first phase of voting, receiving 3,425,309 votes.
Cleveland’s Steven Kwann was named the third-place starting outfielder in the American League, beating out Houston’s Kyle Tucker.
For Soto, this will be his fourth (and fourth consecutive) nomination to the All-Star Game and his first in the American League after making the roster with the Nationals and Padres the past three seasons.
However, this will be Soto’s first start.
“It means a lot,” Soto said of the honor. “I’ve worked so hard for this… I’ve worked so hard.”
Look to the side and see the number 99 to his right?
“It feels great,” Soto said. “He’s an All-Star and a great baseball player. I’m excited to share the field with him. To play in the All-Star Game is even better.”
In his first 84 games with his new team, Soto posted a .997 OPS, 20 home runs and a major league-leading 74 walks.
He has been everything the Yankees hoped for following their blockbuster trade with San Diego this offseason.
“He’s a generational hitter. We’ve seen those words thrown around about him, but I think it’s true,” manager Aaron Boone said before a 3-2 loss to the Reds in the Bronx, in which Soto reached base three times. “The level of his at-bats is something you see every day. [stands out]And when he and Aaron team up back-to-back, I think it will be something a lot of us haven’t seen.
“That’s as high-quality an at-bat as you’re going to get anywhere, anytime, and it’s pretty impressive that he understands where he stands when he steps up to the plate.”
It will be just the second time in three years that the Yankees will start two outfielders in the All-Star Game, having first won the honor in 2022 when Judge and Giancarlo Stanton earned the honor.
In Stanton’s absence, Jamai Jones once again started as DH against left-handed pitchers and went 1-for-3 with 1 double and 1 run scored.
The right-handed hitter went 6-for-18 against left-handed pitchers, with one home run, one triple and now one double.
Jon Bertie grounded out to third base before the game.
The infielder, who has been sidelined since straining his left calf on May 24, is nearing a rehab assignment.
The Yankees recorded their 10th sellout of the season with a paying attendance of 47,646.
The team’s average home attendance of 41,051 this season is the highest in the American League and second-highest in the major leagues behind the Dodgers (who were averaging 47,652 as of Wednesday).
Phil Bickford, who was designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
